


An Enormously Pleasant Prospect

by Catchclaw



Series: Mental Mimosa [83]
Category: Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Victorian, Loki and Baldur are Brothers, Love at First Sight, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 19:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15298419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catchclaw/pseuds/Catchclaw
Summary: “Loki!” Baldur said, his voice ringing across the courtyard. “There you are. Stop skulking about and come meet our guest, won’t you?”





	An Enormously Pleasant Prospect

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: You're sweeter than honey dripping off the thorn of a rose. More calm than the eye of a hurricane. Prompt from this [generator](http://colormayfade.tumblr.com/generator).

“Loki!” Baldur said, his voice ringing across the courtyard. “There you are. Stop skulking about and come meet our guest, won’t you?”

It wasn’t really a question. But Baldur liked hiding commands behind a smile and a bit of sketchy punctuation; gods forbid anyone judge him an imperious prick. Anyone except Loki, that is. If they hadn’t had a guest, if there hadn’t been a large, blond man standing next to his brother, Baldur would’ve used a different tone of voice to get Loki’s attention. And perhaps even his fists.

But the other man was there and, as Loki came closer, he could see that this man was also smiling, but his smile was a genuine one. He was built like a tree trunk, broad arms and wide shoulders, and yet his face was gentle, his eyes warm; there was a softness in his mouth, a brightness to his smile that Loki quite liked. He found himself smiling back.

“Thor,” Baldur said, “this is my little brother, Loki.”

Thor extended a hand and Loki took it, pleased. Most of Baldur’s friends were not so gentlemanly. “Loki,” Thor said. “What a pleasure it is to meet you.”

“And you. Though I’m afraid I have no idea who you are.”

“Loki!” Baldur hissed, but Thor laughed, a sweet, thunderous boom that made Loki’s bones shake.

“No, no, he’s quite right. We haven’t been properly introduced, have we?" He squeezed Loki's hand, released it. "I’m in the rooms next to your brother’s at Christ Church and I’m a bit of loose ends this holiday. So Baldur was kind enough to invite me to join you all here. For a few weeks, at least.”

“I see,” Loki said. What an enormously pleasant prospect, he thought. He let his eyes slip down Thor’s chest, over his crisp white shirt and waistcoat, down his hips to the polished tips of his shoes. Yes, indeed.  Suddenly, the long days of summer ahead, the weeks of unhappy langor at home, seemed so much more promising.

When he looked up, to his great surprise, Thor’s eyes were waiting for him; friendly still, warm, but unquestionably more heated than before. Or were they? Loki blinked. And sincerely wished that Thor was still holding his hand.

“Alright, on your way,” Baldur said, giving Loki a shove. “I want to show Thor the rest of the grounds.”

“Can he not accompany us?” Thor said. “If we are to tour the gardens, I mean.” His mouth lifted. “I suspect he knows their rows perhaps better than you do, Bal. It seems auspicious we should come upon him here.”

Loki watched the storm on Baldur’s face: his hostly duties warring with his ever present desire to pretend Loki did not exist. “Well,” Baldur said, a little too grand. “He certainly may, my friend. If you like.”

“No,” Thor said, chuckling. “If your brother likes. What say you, Loki? Will you join us?”

Something sweet and aching overturned in Loki’s heart. His knees weakened and the blood in his body began to rush, to roar in his veins. He had a mad vision of himself catching Thor by his collar, by his watch chain, and dragging him into the hedges, to some secret place between the flowers that only he knew and falling back into the grass, Thor tumbling after; those wide hands cupped under his head, that soft mouth turning firm against his.

And best of all, brightest, something told him that Thor would come willingly, would wear that same smile as he pressed Loki into the earth and button by button, opened Loki’s shirt.

But Loki showed none of this on his face, for he, the second son of the Earl of Chester, was nothing if not exquisitely skilled at maintaining his composure before company. And Bal’s semi-murderous gaze-- _This is_ my _friend, you little prick_ , it said _; fuck off good and proper and leave the two of us alone_ \--was merely fuel for Loki’s friendly fire.

“Certainly, gentlemen,” Loki said. “It would be my honor.” He tipped his smile to Thor’s. “What would you like to see first?”


End file.
